


All the Little Lights

by Mamazero



Series: All the Little Lights [1]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Anger, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Loss, Love, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-18
Updated: 2018-06-08
Packaged: 2019-02-16 08:01:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 17,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13049871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mamazero/pseuds/Mamazero
Summary: I didn't want this kind of attention.  I didn't want to join Overwatch.  I got careless, sloppy.Isla Taylor is a smart woman, one the Overwatch team is lucky to have on their side now.  But how does she know Junkrat and Roadhog?  What history do the three of them have?  What will happen now that they're reunited?





	1. Oops

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just as a warning, the way I write the different accents is phonetically. How it sounds is how it's written.

I have to admit, when I was first contacted by the brains behind the long-thought-disbanded Overwatch, I was more than a bit skeptical, thinking it was a ploy to get me to reveal my location. I remember quickly reading thru the well written e-mail, everything so properly written and grammatically correct. I chuckled to myself, “Musta've nevah met a junka before, dunnit 'e know we ain't got time fa propa gramma?” I murmur, pulling my legs up before settling in with the pilfered data pad resting against my thigh. I shot back an e-mail of my own making sure to bounce the IP around from a few different satellites, just to make it a bit harder to track my actual whereabouts. I replied with a polite, but rather direct, 'Thanks, but no thanks mate. I'll let you know if I change my mind.' After that, well, life continued on as usual. Track those bastards calling themselves Talon, muck up their plans as much as possible while keeping myself out of sight, safely tucked away from the majority of the action. Well, at least until they hired themselves a top notch hacker known as Sombra, that is. I quickly found it harder to hide just who and where I was, each time just narrowly avoiding getting caught by Talon agents. Looking back at it all now, I curse myself for my arrogance.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

My lungs start to burn as I dash around a corner in the dark building. My feet slide and I catch myself on the opposite wall, slapping one of my small sticky turrets in a darkened corner, hoping that it'll slow down the Talon agents on my heels. I quickly launch myself forward again, can't stop moving now, can't get caught. I continue to run down the dark halls, taking a left here, a right there, making my way to the exit I know is just another few yards away. I chance a glance behind me and smirk, hearing the distant patter of my turret firing away and the following shouts of pain. I'm almost to the door, my freedom ensured for yet another day, when I'm suddenly surrounded by a swirling cloud of black mist. I skid to a halt my eyes darting around at the oddly undulating mist closing in around me. A deep, gravelly chuckle comes from somewhere deep in the mass of black in front of me, and try as I might, I can't get my feet to move.

 

“Well, well. What do we have here?” The disembodied voice says, a shape coming into focus within the inky depths in front of me. “You aren't with Overwatch, but you are the one who's been causing us some issues.” The black mass slowly circles me, a wispy tendril tracing down my jawline and wrapping around my neck. My pulse races, my heartbeat the only sound I can hear in the quiet space sounds like a jackhammer in my ears. Fear grips me like I haven't felt in years and I swallow hard, completely frozen. The tendril around my neck begins to feel a bit more solid, splitting into several smaller tendrils closer in shape to fingers. My mind races a thousand miles a minute before coming to a screeching halt as the feeling of warm breath hits my neck and the side of my face.

  


“I'm not usually so gracious.” the voice whispers next to my ear sending a shiver of fear up my spine. “But seeing how you look so pretty when you're terrified, I'll let you off with a warning.” I feel a pair of lips ghost across the outer shell of my ear. “Stop playing with things much larger than yourself. I won't tell you again.” My lungs are screaming for air, had it always been this hard to breathe? I gasp as the edges of my vision start to blur. “If we meet again, I won't hesitate to kill you.” The hand around my neck tightens and my brain finally kicks into gear. I raise my hands, trying desperately to grab and pull the hand away from my body, becoming more frantic as my attempts fail, my fingers passing straight thru. My vision continues to blur, my body going limp as I further lose the battle to stay conscious. With a final chuckle, my captor releases my body. I hear more than feel myself fall limply to the floor. With the last vestiges of my conscious mind, I can hear a primal, roaring battle cry followed by what sounds like a gun fight.

  


I really don't remember much following my fall to the floor. Gunshots, shouts, the muffled thuds of feet. I tried to focus on what was being said, however, the harder I fought to focus, the harsher the pounding in my head grew. One voice stood out above the others though, deep and soothing in a way, if a bit loud. Even though it was easier to distinguish, I was still only able to catch clips of a conversation.

  


“Jesse.....the girl.....out of here....e could prove usef......” The next several minutes I'm fairly certain I completely blacked out because the next thing I remember was being gently lifted in a pair of strong arms and cradled, surprisingly gently, against a warm, broad chest.

  


“Sorry for bein' so rough darlin'. Jus stay with me.” This new voice was rougher and heavily accented, the owner smelling strongly of leather and smoke. It was a comforting smell, in an odd way, one that took me back a few years. I try acknowledging that I had heard him, but only managed a wheezy, whining moan. I'm quickly becoming frustrated with my bodies lack of cooperation. So I do the only thing I can, relax into this stranger's arms, resting my head against the chest and letting myself get lulled to sleep by the steady heartbeat against my ear.


	2. Ugh

As I slowly come to, there are two things I notice. First is that wherever I am, it's clean. The place smells like a hospital, and the mediocre cushioned mattress underneath me supports this idea. Second, I had to have hit my head pretty damn good when I fell to the floor. I haven't had a headache this bad since my eighteenth birthday when myself and my best mate got smashed. We had found some bogan's old hunting shack and polished off their whole stash of stubbies. Woke up with the worst hangover of my life. Blast, did I miss those days...

  
  


“She had a mild concussion, but she's stable and doing well now, not even a trace of radiation sickness. We're just waiting for her to wake up so we can check and give her a clean bill of health.” I can hear a softly spoken woman talking. She sounds like she's on the other side of the door. “Winston, you do know that she may still say no to joining us, yes? This is a woman who has been very good at keeping herself hidden, and I wouldn't be horribly surprised if she has issues trusting people, same as the other two.”

  
  


_ Otha' two, wha' otha’ two? Who the hell's she talkin' about? _

  
  


“Yes, I know that Angela.” It's that deep, soothing voice again. I strain my ears, trying to listen in on their conversation. “I hope this last close call was enough to get her to change her mind. What I don't understand, is why Reaper didn’t kill her in the first place. It's out of character for him to leave anyone alive who poses a threat to Talon's operations.” I hear the door slide open and suddenly the voices weren't so muffled. The increase in volume causing me to wince in pain and grab my head.

  
  


“Ah, I see that our patient is awake. Welcome back to the land of the living.” Even the woman's soft voice is too loud and my eyes start to water.

  
  


“Oi. Could ya stop talkin' so loud?” I wince at how hoarse my voice sounds. “An' maybe dim tha loights a tad? Moy head's killin' me.” I let out a sigh of relief when I see the lights dim thru my eyelids.  I sigh, figuring it'd probably be a good idea to sit up (it wasn't, by the by.). A loud groan leaves my lips about halfway into an upright position and I press my right palm into my eye trying to squelch the pain pulsing in my head.  I feel a pair of small hands helping me, one in the middle of my back, the other gripping my elbow softly.  I crack my left eye open and see a tall blonde woman smiling at me gently.

 

“Easy. You took a bit of a bad knock to the head.” Her smile warms as she turns to face me more. I tried to return the gesture, but stopped when it ended up being closer to a grimace than a smile.  I’m really not very good with people.  I spent way too long mostly on my own in Oz.  Back home, you’d better be damn sure you knew a person before trusting them even a bit. Even with following this rule all my life, I still ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time and was forced to leave my home.

 

“Ya can say ‘at again.  Wot happened anyway?”  I ask, finally removing my right hand from my eye, wiping at the moisture that had gathered there.  I occupy myself with flexing my prosthetic left hand, ensuring nothing got damaged while I was blacked out.  I can hear the one whose name was Winston step forward to stand on my left side.  

 

“Your location was pinned down and you were almost killed by a Talon agent called Reaper.  Several Overwatch agents, myself included, arrived just in time to intervene.”  I glance at him out of the corner of my eye and force myself to blink hard a few times.  I mean, there’s no way I can really be seeing a talking gorilla….with glasses…..wearing armor, right?

 

“Roight….so, where am aoi now then?”  I ask, choosing to ignore the fact that my brain has decided I need to hallucinate a seven foot tall talking ape. 

 

“You’re in one of our watchtowers. Well, our only functional one anyway.”  Winston supplies.  I sigh.  What he’s saying makes sense.  The one he called Reaper did say something about Overwatch being back up and running again.  Damn.

 

“So.  What happens now?”  I ask, turning to look at him head on.  “Since ya say your group rescued me, aoi can only assume ‘at means none of my stuff made it here, yeah?”  I slowly slide off the end of the bed and onto my feet, standing and running a hand thru my hair.  My face scrunches up at the feel of my hair (uh, gross?).  I let out another sigh and roll my eyes before giving Winston and the woman called Angela my full attention again.  “Look, oll aoi really want roight now, is a long, hot showa, some hot tucka, and a place to sleep for the noight.”  I wrap my arms around myself and give a shrug.  “You do that, and aoi'll join this party a yours. Assuming it really WAS you that contacted me round six months ago.”

 

“It was.” Winston gives me a small smile. “We could use someone with your particular set of skills, and would be more than happy to accommodate your request.”

 

“Roight-o then. First things first, can aoi  _ please _ get that showa and maybe a change a clothes? Aoi feel a bit grungier than normal.” I give the two a small, genuine smile.

 

“Of course.  Take the rest of the evening to get settled.  We'll save the introduction to the rest of the agents for tomorrow.” Winston dismisses me with a nod of his head.  I nod my understanding and follow Angela out of the med bay and towards what will become my personal quarters with the supplies I needed.  Tomorrow will be the start of a new life for me and I'm both excited and terrified.


	3. Oh...

_ As we lay in bed, the darkness around us blanketing us like a cacoon, holding the evils of the world at bay, I revel in the warmth of the man next to me.  When we lay like this, just the two of us, it’s easy to forget how horrible the outside world really can be, how quickly the people would stab you in the back.  I find myself lost in my own thoughts, anchored only by the weight of my partner’s head on my shoulder and his arm and leg sprawled across my body pinning me to the bed.  I stare at the ceiling, watching the patterns reflected off the odd baubles in the room create dancing little lights. _

 

__ _ “Wot’cha thinkin’ ‘bout, love?”  He asks, idly tracing patterns on my bare skin.  I look down and find a pair of bright, molten amber eyes searching my own mismatched ones.  A smile makes its way onto my face, the only genuine one I allow anyone to see, the one reserved only for him. _

 

__ _ “Nothin’.  An’ everythin’ oll at once.”  I comb my fingers thru his hair and force myself to keep the smile in place even though my heart is heavy and I desperately want to cry.  His hair is thinning in patches, a result of the radiation we are constantly exposed to out here in Oz.  I place a gentle kiss to the tip of his freckle splattered nose.  “How lucky I am to have you here with me.”  Next, his cheek as I roll onto my side to face him and cup his face in my hands.  “How much I’d be lost without you.”  The corner of his upturned lips.  “How much I love you.”  He raises his hand to caress my cheek, his eyes lock on mine and I can feel a blush rise to the surface.  He pulls me closer, my breath hitching the closer his mouth draws to mine. _

 

__ _ “Aoi love you too, Isla.”  He whispers before bringing his lips against mine, my skin erupting in goosebumps that had nothing to do with the temperature of the room.  As quickly as it started, our kiss ends leaving me wanting at the loss of contact.  I close my eyes and press our foreheads together, soaking up every second of this rare intimate moment we have.  He skims his hand down my side, coming to a rest on my hip.  I sigh, scooting down the bed, tucking my head under his chin and burying my face in the crook of his neck.  I take a deep breath and snuggle a little deeper into his embrace, the smell of leather and smoke filling my nostrils.  He buries his nose in my hair, his lips barely ghosting against the shell of my ear.  “Marry me.” _

 

_ “Shu’ it.”  I roll my eyes and shove against his chest a little. _

 

_ “Aoi mean it, Isla.  Marry me?”  He says softly, seriously.  I pull back, brows pulled down and face scrunched in confusion as I search his face for any signs of deceit.  Finding none, my vision starts to blur with unshed tears.  “Please don’t cry.  I jus….”  He trails off, frustration quickly bleeding into his features as he reaches up and scrubs his fingers against his scalp.  “Isla, I know I’m changin’.  Losin’ a bit more of me moind ev’ry day we’re stuck in this hell hole.”  His pleading eyes search my face, unshed tears of his own making them shimmer in the low light of the room.  “But, when you’re here,  Aoi feel a bit more like meself.  A bit less manic.  Less trapped.”  He reaches up and brushes away the tear, that dared to fall, from my cheek.  “Aoi can’t lose you.  Cause if Aoi lose you, Aoi lose myself.”  He tentatively presses his lips to mine.  “B’sides…”   He quickly shifts his weight, rolling me onto my back with him hovering over me.  “Who else ya gonna find to keep you from thinkin’ too much?”  A kiss to my cheek.  “An’ keep ya warm?”  One to the soft spot under my ear,  making my breathing quicken.  “Make ya laugh?”  Open mouth kisses down the column of my throat.  “Touch ya in oll the roight places?”  He drags his sharp canines along my collarbone, pulling a breathy moan from me.  “Love ya the way Aoi do?”  He pulls one of my nipples into his warm mouth, rolling it between his teeth and I mewl and arch into the touch, sinking my fingers into his sun bleached hair. _

 

_ “Jamie…”  I breathe his name, my voice sounding ragged to my own ears as I press my body closer to his.   _

 

_ “Is ‘at a yes?”  The tone of his voice is hopeful and husky as he drags his tongue down my body and nips at the soft skin of my belly. _

 

_ “Yesss.”  I hiss, both urging him on and answering his question. _

 

_ “Yes?!”  His head flies up, his eyes bright with excitement as a large, toothy grin spreads across his face.  I giggle, his excitement contagious. _

 

_ “Yes.”  I answer again, nodding, a wide smile of my own plastered to my face.  A second later finds me pushed into the mattress as the excitable man launches himself up my body, arms wrapping around me and lips crashing into mine.   _

 

_ “Hooley dooley, ya’ve made me tha happiest man in Oz, love.”   _


	4. Uhhh..

I jolt upright, breathing in great lungfuls of air, eyes frantically roaming around the room, trying to figure out where I am before I remember.  I press the heel of my right hand into my eye as the lights slowly start to brighten.  It had been so long since I had remembered any of my dreams, much less one from my time in Oz.

 

“Good morning Ms. Taylor.” the disembodied voice of the watchpoint’s AI filling in the silence of the room.  

 

“Wot time izzit?” I mumble, voice still heavy with sleep.

 

“Local time is 10:27 a.m.  Winston has requested your presence in the conference room when you have a moment.  Shall I inform him that you are awake?” She asks politely.  I sigh.

 

“Sure, jus lemme brush moy teeth an’ freshen up’pa bit.”  I respond, throwing back the covers and swinging my legs over the side of the bed.  I quickly stumble my way into the washroom joined to my quarters, brushing my teeth and hair.  I stare at my reflection for a few brief moments before deciding on a loose french braid.  After this little meeting with Winston, I really needed a haircut.

 

“Winston has been informed of your impending arrival, Ms. Taylor.  I shall provide directions to the conference room when you are ready.”  The slightly metallic voice cutting thru the silence and pulling me back from my own thoughts.  

 

“Any idea wha’ Winston wants to talk to me abou’?”  I ask, finishing getting dressed by pulling on my left boot and lacing it up as well as ensuring the belt with my gadgets on it was secured properly.

 

“The specifics of your meeting with Winston are unknown.”  She answers.  I sigh again, stealing my resolve and heading out the door of my room.  It doesn’t take me long to find the conference room with the AI’s help.  I take a deep breath to calm my nerves and, calming as much as I'm going to be able to, I rap my knuckles gently on the door to announce my presence.

 

“Ah, there you are.” Winston greets me with a smile as the door slides open.  “Please, come in.” He steps to the side, raising his arm and gesturing to the spacious room behind him.

 

“Uh, alroight.” I respond, tentatively taking a few steps inside the room, hearing the soft hiss of the door closing behind me.  I wrap my arms around myself, feeling more than a bit uncomfortable.  

 

“Straight to the point, shall we?” Winston says, turning to give me his full attention and I nod my agreement.  I do tend to prefer a more to the point approach when it comes to most things.  “I want to reiterate that while I do feel you would be a huge asset to the team and what we're doing here, I don't want you to feel obligated to join us.” He pauses, looking to me for understanding before continuing.

 

“Aoi don't.” I reply simply, looking to Winston to continue.

 

“That's good.” My curt answer seems to have thrown him off a bit as he shuffles over to take a seat at the large table indicating for me to do the same.  “Now, as a member of the team we have here, you will be expected to train regularly to hone your skills.”  I nod, finally slipping into a seat next to his at the head of the conference table.  “You will be given a workspace with the other engineers on the team, as well as access to the computer labs.  It goes without saying that I will have Athena monitoring your computer usage so as not to tip off Talon to our location.”  I scrunch up my face in confusion.

 

“Who’s Athena?”  I ask, thoroughly confused, all while rubbing my hands on my thighs trying to rid them of the clammy moisture gathering in my palms.

 

“She’s the AI system.” He answers, drawing a quiet 'Ah’ from me before he continues on with the meeting.  “It would also be beneficial for you to meet the rest of the team.  Get to know the names and faces of the people you will be working with, living with, going on missions with.  Several of the team are on a seperate mission and won’t be returning for several days yet, but I was hoping you would agree to meet with those who are currently in the Watchtower.”  I wrap my arms around myself again, my stomach doing a small flip.

 

“Alroight.”  I say, my voice sounding a little more confident than I’m feeling at the moment.  Winston smiles at me, pushing his glasses up his wide nose a little further.

 

“Athena, please inform all Overwatch agents currently in the building that they are needed in the conference room.”  His voice is strong and authoritative, brokering no room for argument.  

 

“Of course, Winston.”  The AI, Athena, replies.  Satisfied that things were underway to his liking, Winston turns to me and gestures to a small table set up against the far wall.

 

“Something to drink?” He asks, brows raised while awaiting my answer.

 

“Water would be nice.” I mumble, the feeling of unease in my stomach growing.  As Winston busies himself with pouring refreshments for both of us, I take the opportunity to let my eyes roam around the large room.  I notice that much of the room, though it has been cleaned up, still shows its age.  Several of the tiles along the floor were damaged, spider webs of patterns peppering the floor in erratic display.  Similarly, a few of the walls sported cracks where the material strained and buckled under the weight of the building shift as it settled.  I manage to mumble a quiet ‘thank you’ when Winston returns with a glass of water a moment later.  I relax a bit, further distracting myself by cataloging all the small repairs in the room that need to be done as we wait for the others to arrive.  I’m looking at a particularly damaged video terminal across the room when the hiss of the automatic door draws my attention.

 

“What in the hell are we havin’ a meetin’ about, Winston?”  The _loud,_ gruff southern draw of the man who walks thru the doorway startles me enough that I nearly drop my near empty glass of water.  I stare, wide eyed, at the man who spoke, my left hand hovering over the small drone in sleep mode attached to my hip.

 

“Ah, yes, Jesse, we are having a meeting so that everyone can get acquainted with our newest agent.”  Winston speaks to the man before turning his attention to me once more.  “Ms. Taylor, this is Jesse McCree.  He was the one responsible for…”

 

“Carryin’ me outta tha shit storm.”  I cut him off, nodding at Winston and giving a small smile.  “Aoi rememba.”  I relax my stance and take a few tentative steps toward the man I now know as McCree with my right hand outstretched.  “Thank you, by tha way.”

 

“Pretty little lady like you, it was all my pleasure, darlin’.”  McCree replies, taking a few long strides to close the distance, the spurs on his boots jingling.  He grips my hand firmly with one hand and removes his hat with the other, a smile curling up the edges of his mouth around the cigar between his lips.  My eyes fall to the prosthetic arm on his left side and I can’t help the slight tilt of my head at the almost imperceivable twitch of the fingers.

 

“Uh, yeea...Have ya fingers always twitched like that?”  I ask, quickly dropping his flesh right hand in lieu of his metal one.  “Aoi could fix that in a jif.”  I blush, quickly realizing that I’ve become a bit zealous the way I usually do when it comes to one of my passions.  I look up at the man, whose arm I’m still holding, thru my eyelashes and digging the toe of my boot into the tile under my foot.  McCree stares at me for a few moments, his face shifting from shock to a smile quickly enough before letting out a deep chuckle.

 

“How could I say no to that look.”  McCree laughs again, sitting in the nearest chair.  I bounce on the balls of my feet in excitement as I eagerly grab the small screwdriver off my belt and set to work removing the access panel for the prosthetic.


	5. hmm

Over the next fifteen minutes or so, I'm so preoccupied with my tinkering that everything else falls away.  My brain is so fixated on the little pieces of machinery and how they all fit together to form a functioning unit, that I don’t notice as the room starts to fill up.  I’m sure somewhere in the back of my brain, I realize that the occasional hiss of the door means another person has entered the room; but as I’m working, it all just white noise in the background.  I can feel eyes on me, and it doesn’t matter for once.  All that matters is the tiny gear I’ve found with a few bent and missing cogs.  

 

“There ya are.”  I mutter to myself, grinning in victory as the tip of my tongue works its way out the side of my mouth.  “Yer arm is gonna be useless for a tick.”  I warn McCree, seeing the man nod in my peripheral vision.  I pull a few scrap gears and chunks of metal out of the bag on my hip, trying to find one that would be a close enough match for the time being, or at least find a thin enough chunk of metal that I could set my assistance drone to cut a new one.  Luck rewards my efforts with an almost exact match, it’s just a tad too thick, but based on the amount of room in the actual compartment around the gear, it shouldn’t be a problem.  “Kay, don’t try to move ya arm.”  With every part of the prosthetic still, I carefully remove the defective gear and quickly replace it with the ‘new’ one.  After a few more tinkering adjustments, I stand up straight, a triumphant smile on my face and my hands on my hips and look expectantly at McCree.  McCree….who is...looking at me...with a totally clueless expression.   _ Sigh _ , alright, I roll my eyes and gesture to the prosthetic.

 

“Try it.”  I shrug, hugging myself, my anxiety choosing now to rear its ugly head and make me less confident in my work.  He twists and turns his arm, flexing his fingers and all possible joints, thoroughly testing my handiwork.  “No more twitch, that’s good.  I also tightened the recoil spring in the wrist.”  

 

“Vhy vould you do that?”  I spin around and am greeted by a short man with a very bushy beard and red lens patch over one eye.  I quickly divert my eyes, my boots suddenly the most interesting thing in the room.

 

“Having tha recoil spring so loose isn’t necessary.  I could understand if he was left handed, you would need the spring loose ta catch tha recoil off his gun with each shot taken.”  I dig my toe into the tile, kicking at a non-existent pebble on the floor.  “But since he only uses it ta pull back the hamma on his pistol, it’s betta to have it tight, keeps it from havin’ too much give when he takes tha quick, repetitive shots.”  I reply, several tense, silent moments passing in the room.

 

“HaHA!”  The small man barks out a loud, mirthful laugh, turning to Winston.  “I’m settin this one up in the vorkshop.”  He points a thumb in my direction.  “Even if she doesn’t end up in da field, I’m keeping her around.  Girl knows her machines.”  He turns back to me, extending his right hand, which I take with a bit of caution.  He gives me an entirely over enthusiastic handshake, one that sends my whole body bouncing.  “Name’s Torbjorn.  I’m da head engineer here.”  

 

“Isla.  It's a pleasure to meet you.” I reply, smiling at the short man before me.  Some of the tension eases its way out of my shoulders and I’m gradually introduced to the other members gathered in the room.

 

Most of them greet me with a smile and polite how-do-you-do, like Orisa, Reinhardt, Zarya, and Symmetra.  Soldier:76 gives me a once-over and grunts out that training starts first thing in the morning.  Ana quickly follows 76 with an assurance that she will be overseeing the whole ordeal to make sure I don’t get hurt.  I smile and nod, thanking her and thinking about how much she reminds me of my mum.  Or, at least what I can remember of my mum.  The younger Shimada brother, Genji, introduced himself with a bow and a polite offer to meditate, should I ever need it.  The older brother, Hanzo, looks me up and down, scoffs and promptly leaves; Genji issuing a hasty apology before rushing after his brother.  The last three, D.Va, Lucio, and Tracer, thankfully, wait until most of the others have left.  D.Va, whose real name I quickly learn is Hana, excitedly bounces on the balls of her feet in front of me, with Lucio chuckling almost uncomfortably behind her.

 

“This is so exciting!”  Hana almost squeels, a huge grin on her face with her arms pulled in close to chest and her body practically vibrating with excitement.  Behind her, Lucio gives me an apologetic look and rests a hand on her shoulder.  

 

“Hana, please, you’re going to scare her away.”  Lucio says, looking back and forth between myself and the tiny woman.  “At least let her get settled in and a bit more comfortable around all of us before you bombard her with questions.”  

 

“Aw, but it’s not every day we get a new recruit!  The last two still aren’t terribly friendly, and besides, she’s a  _ girl _ , Lucio, a  **_pretty girl!_ **  And she’s close to our age!”  Hana turned to glower at Lucio, her tone turning to an almost whining plea.

 

“Sorry ‘bout those two, love.”  I feel a gentle hand on my shoulder, and find Tracer giving me a warm smile.  “She’s just a bit excited because there aren’t many girls around our age in the base.  Don’t be surprised if she ambushes you and makes you play video games in the near future.”  I nod in understanding, a grin working its way onto my face.  

 

“Sounds like fun.  Although, can’t say I have much experience with games.”  I respond, giving a shrug of my shoulders.  “Didn’t exactly have much in the way of functioning electronic equipment in Oz.”  I put my finger to my lips, scrunching my face up in thought before adding.  “Or electricity, for that matta.”  An idea comes to mind, and I snap my fingers, pointing to Hana and abruptly ending her bickering with Lucio.  “Tell ya what, you help me find a place to get new clothes, and a haircut, and I’ll answer any questions ya have.  Deal?”  I hold out my hand, a, what I hope is friendly, smile on my face, and wait.

 

“Assa!  You bet!”  She exclaims, grabbing my hand and dragging me out of the conference room, the other two following close behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Junkrat and Roadhog next chapter, YAY!!! (Finally...)


	6. damn

The rest of the afternoon had gone by fairly quickly.  Hana and Lucio had been kind enough to take me into town and pay for a few new outfits and a haircut, and I was lucky enough that none of their questions had gotten too personal.  When we had returned to the Watchpoint, we all said our farewells with the promise of a game night and I had then spent the rest of the evening in what was to be my workspace.  

 

Sometime around ten PM, I find myself digging through one of the large, industrial fridges in the kitchen.  I'm not use to having food so readily available, and I am currently finding it difficult to actually find something to eat.  Before me is a wide variety of foods, fresh fruits and vegetables, cheeses, meats, you name it, it's in this fridge.  Eventually, I end up settling on bacon, because bacon. Who needs more reason than that?  It's meat candy!  So here I am, at 10:32 PM, cooking bacon, alone, while reading a rather dry and boring news article on one of the many tablets available to me.  What I wouldn't give for a drink right about now.  No sooner had the thought crossed my mind, than McCree walks into the kitchen with a rather large bottle of whiskey in hand.  

 

“Hey there, darlin.  Why’re you still up?” He asks, shuffling over to the cabinets in his plain white tank top, and black and red plaid lounge pants.

 

“Lost track’a time, got hungry, decided to make myself some bacon.” I shrug, setting the tablet on the kitchen island.  “You?” I raise my eyebrow and grin, hoping I come across as friendly.

 

“I couldn't sleep.  Too excited about the adjustments you made and ended up spending way too much time in the practice range.” He answers, pulling a tumbler out of the cabinet before glancing at me over his shoulder.  “Would you like some?” He asks, holding up the bottle.

 

“Holy fuck, yes!” I respond, eyes wide and my shoulders drooping in relief.  “No offense, but today was probably _thee_ most stressful day of my life.”. McCree chuckles, setting a second glass down next to the first.  “I, uh, don't do crowds well.”

 

“So I noticed.”  McCree quips, dropping a few ice cubes in each glass.  “Any particular reason for that darlin?”  He asks, watching me in his peripheral vision.  I shrug, walking over to the stove and flipping the bacon before wrapping my arms around myself.

 

“Living there, growing up there, you learn not to trust people.” I take a deep breath, finally meeting Jesse's gaze and taking the glass he hands me.  “Trusting people gets you killed.” I pause, taking a long drink from the glass.  “Can't even trust the people you love.  Learned that one the hard way.” With a deep sigh, I bring the glass to my lips and throw my head back, draining the glass in one go.  Somewhere in my whiskey savoring, Hana and Lucio joined us in the kitchen.

 

“Why are you two still awake?” Hana asks, promptly walking over to the fridge and retrieving an energy drink and a bottle of juice.  She hopped up on the counter, handed the bottle of juice to Lucio, popped the top on her energy drink and taking a long drink, giving Jesse and I a look with raised eyebrows.

 

“You know me, never go to bed without having a drink or two.”  McCree raises his glass with one hand and takes mine with his other, taking a sip and pouring me another glass.  “Ms. Taylor here was already in the kitchen and kindly agreed to join me.”  He hands me my now refilled glass back and I immediately take another sip, pulling the now done pieces of bacon out of the pan and turning off the burner.

 

“I was hungry, and was just making myself a sandwich when Jesse came in and we started talking.”  I busy myself with grabbing a couple pieces of bread out of the loaf on the counter and start making a sandwich.

 

“Oooh! What about?”  Hana asks, swiping a strip of bacon off the plate on the counter.

 

“My issues with people.”  I answer, giving her a small grin, evenly spacing some of the bacon onto the bread.

 

“Anything specific we can do to help?”  Lucio asks, genuine concern written across his features.

 

“Not unless you can go back about seven years and tell me not to get in a romantic relationship with ma best mate.”  I sneer at the memory and place the other piece of bread on top of the sandwich, smushing it all together, taking a pleasure in the crunching sounds.  “Would be nothin’ without me, always be by my side my ass.”  I mutter, the drink already making me relax enough to let these people I didn’t really know see my usually internal anger.

 

“Ouch, that’s rough darlin’.”  McCree’s face scrunches sympathy as he raises his glass.  “Good enough reason as any to drink.”  

 

“I’m game.”  Lucio pipes up, setting his bottle of juice on the counter and fetching two more glasses from the cabinet at Hana’s hum of agreement.  We all stand quietly, waiting for the medic to pour himself and Hana both glasses of the warming amber liquid.  Once everyone has a drink in hand, McCree raises his glass again.

 

“Here’s to dumb decisions made in your youth and usually with your genitals.”  I chuckle at the toast, but drink the remainder of the liquid in my glass regardless.  I try to hide the smirk on my face with my sandwich at Hana and Lucio’s sputtering, both unused to the harsh burn of alcohol.  “Isla, darlin’, after watchin these two, it occurs to me that not once have you even made a face drinkin this with me.”  The cowboy shoots me what I can only assume is supposed to be a charming smile.

 

“Yea, it’s not  _that_ strong.  Quite smoothe compared to the petrol laced piss they had back home in Oz.”  I shoot the man a relaxed smile, nodding when he raises the bottle and an eyebrow in silent question.  “Definitely gonna need another few drinks with how close to home ya toast was.”

 

“So what happened?”  Hana asks, setting her now empty glass on the counter.  Once she looks up and catches Lucio’s exasperated look, her shoulders scrunch.  “Unless that’s too personal.”

 

“Eh.”  I shrug, taking the glass once again from McCree and a bite out of my sandwich.  “Grew up together, kept each other from getting into too much shit, obviously got in a bit too deep.”  I pause, washing my sandwich down with another healthy drink.  “Started sleepin togetha, he proposed, I stupidly said yes, he promised we’d get out of Oz, start a real family.”  Another bite of sandwich and another long drink, feeling more comfortable in my own skin with each swig.  “We almost had enough stashed away to make it to one of the larger cities and make the dream a reality too.”  I pause, looking at my sandwich but seeing a memory only I knew.

 

“What changed?”  Hana asked quietly, her hand resting gently on my shoulder.  I take a deep breath and finish off my third glass of the evening and can see Jesse pouring himself another glass out of the corner of my eye.

 

“That’s the million dolla question I’ve been asking myself for two years.”  I give the girl a sad smile, trying not to let my emotions run rampant.

 

“So you really don’t know what happened?”  Lucio asks, his and Hana’s eyes already getting slightly glassy thanks to the whiskey.

 

“Don’t know what made him pull the shit he did, no.”  I polish off my sandwich, brushing the crumbs off my hands as I prepare to open up to the nicest people I’ve encountered over the years.  Taking a deep breath, I dive into the story of what happened to me two years ago.  “We were out with a mate of ours, searching for anything salvageable from a plane crash about 100 kilometers from home when a group of hostile omnics attacked and separated us.  I quickly got ovapowa’d and was taken hostage.”  My eyes focus once again on an image only I can see, images flash before my eyes, screaming, explosions, I force myself to continue.  “Got taken to some base of operations for Talon not far away.  Took me just over a week to get the hell outta there.  Got back home after just two weeks of being gone, but when I got there…”  I take a deep breath, the memory still painful even after so long.  “Neither one’a them was there, got kicked out from what my sister told me.  Pulled some _stupid shit_ and got kicked out.  Took everything with them too.  Everything the three of us collectively owned.”

 

“Gae-sae-kki…”  I hear Hana mumble, drawing a snort of agreement from Lucio and a hum from McCree.  For several minutes, the kitchen was silent, everyone processing the information I just divulged about myself.

 

“Well, if that isn’t a reason to celebrate you being here, I don’t know what is.”  McCree says, breaking the trance we’re all in.  “Up for getting drunk?”  He asks, holding up the bottle and giving us all encouraging looks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, I fibbed, no Junkrat and Roadie this chapter.


	7. Hooley

At some point in our drinking stupor, we had moved our private festivities out into the common room, seeking the comfort of the large couches.  I currently had my head resting in Hana’s lap with Lucio seated on the floor in front of her and McCree somewhere on the other side but not necessarily close to the rest of us.  The topics had ranged wildly, but were currently centered around attraction, relationships and the likes.  

 

“So, I have to ask.”  Hana words slur a bit as her fingers card through my hair.  “After everything, do you see yourself trying to find someone again?”  She asks, her fingers gently rubbing back and forth across the freshly buzzed side of my head.  I shrug and hum in the indefinite.  

 

“I’ll have to think about it, give me a minute.”  I answer, a comfortable silence falling between the four of us for some time, each of us lost in our own thoughts.  I eventually decide to sit up before I get too comfortable and end up falling asleep.

 

“Having a welcoming party?”  The slightly electronic voice of Genji cut through the silence.  I jumped in surprise, squawked out a rather unflattering noise, and promptly fell off the couch, still in the half sitting position I was in.  As I lay on the floor, with my head now in Lucio’s lap and my hands covering my rapidly rising blush of embarrassment, I listen to my three drinking companions varying degrees of laughter.

 

“Heh, just gettin’ to know each other better.”  Jesse answers, running his fingers through his hair with one hand and kicking his feet up on the couch, using the arm of the couch as a back rest.  “Found out it only takes Isla here about half a bottle of whiskey to  _ really _ open up.”  I groan, feeling the flush on my face grow even warmer under my hands.  “She’s fun.”  McCree adds, almost as an afterthought.

 

“She is!”  Hana happily added, bouncing in her seat.  “She’s had a hard go of life so far, but she’s still so sweet and fun.  I’m glad we have another good person on the team.”   My face isn’t showing any signs of reverting to my pre-blushing state anytime soon and I sigh trying to fight off tears.  Lucio starts gently petting my hair and plays a soft, slow melody, trying to calm my nerves.  After a few moments, I take a deep breath and let my hands fall away from my face, resting them on my stomach.

 

“Thanks mates.”  I say.  I finally feel centered enough to open my eyes and I’m immediately greeted by Genji crouched next to me.  “Gah!”  I cry out, caught off guard again and instinctively balling my hands into fists while throwing my right arm towards the offending cyborg and kicking my feet off the ground.  Genji easily catches the pseudo-punch and chuckles at the surprised face I’m making.

 

“I am sorry if I have startled you.  It was not my intention, although I must admit your reaction was humorous.”  He says, and I can hear the smile in his voice even though I can’t see his face.  “Would you like assistance back up onto the couch, or would you prefer to stay on the floor?”  He asks as I blink a few times trying to process everything that just happened.

 

“Uh...couch would be nice…”  I answer, blinking hard a few times as the ninja easily stands and pulls me to my feet, which I don’t stay on for long, flopping back down on the couch next to Hana.  

 

“Enjoy the rest of your night.” Genji says before nodding in satisfaction that the job is done, and gracefully turning towards the kitchen, taking a few silent steps that direction.

 

“Genji!  You should stay and join us!”  Hana exclaims, a goofy, drunken grin on her face.

 

“Yeah, you should stay man, who knows when we’ll get the chance to relax like this again.”  Lucio adds, both of them  motioning for the man to come back to the couch.  He appears to look between all four of us, it’s hard to tell with that face plate and visor on.

 

“I think I have made miss Taylor uncomfortable enough for one evening.  I do try to limit these things you know.”  Genji bows his head in apology.

 

“It’s fine.  Ya didn’t make me uncomfortable, just surprised me is all.”  I respond, sending a genuine smile in his direction and patting the seat next to me.  “You should join us.”

 

“If you are certain, then I shall join you.”  He says hesitantly, to which I nod, my smile growing a bit.  He slowly takes the seat next to me about an arms length away, settling in and crossing his ankles in front of him.  

 

“So, where were we?”  I ask, as I bring my legs up, curling them under my bottom and push off the couch enough to reach over Hana towards the bottle of whiskey sitting between her and McCree.

 

“Hmm…”  Hana brings her index finger to her lips, trying to push through the fog to remember what we had talked about last.  “Oh yeah!”  She suddenly snaps her fingers and pats my shoulder as I’m on my way back to a sitting position.  “Do you think you could see yourself with someone after everything that happened?”  She smiles expectantly at me as I scoff and pull the cork from the bottle, tipping it back to my lips and taking a long swig.

 

“I dunno, maybe.  Probably.  I’d like to think that between being young, and a fairly nice person, I’ll eventually find someone who can look past the flaws, both on the surface and in here.”  I say, tapping my temple with my prosthetic hand.

 

“Flaws?”  Genji asks, his head tilted to the side in question.  

 

“O ye!  You missed that part of the conversation!”  Hana exclaims, throwing her arms out in front of her with her palms out.  “Isla has anxiety and people issues.  Trust, right?”  She asks, turning to me for confirmation to which I nod.  “ **_And!_ ** She doesn’t think she’s attractive, which is just ridiculous, ‘cause she’s gorgeous.”  She turns to glare at me, having already talked this point to death earlier.  “She thinks because she has heterochromia and a prosthetic arm and a few scars that people don’t think she’s pretty.  You know, a few basic self worth issues.”

 

“Ah.”  Genji nods.  “That is something I understand all too well.” He adds, drawing my attention fully to him, a thought crossing my mind.

 

“Sounds like you could use a drink.” I say, my nose scrunching.  “Can you drink? Do your biometrics still process alcohol the way they use to, or is it a huge no-no with the biomechanical parts?” I'm rambling, I know I'm rambling, and yet I still continue, unable to stop myself.  I excitedly lean forward, grabbing the Ninja’s right hand. “I'd love to sit down with you sometime and ask you some questions about how the mechanical parts of you work...oh.” I lift his hand to my face, pressing my cheek to his palm.  “your hand is so cold...feels amazing.” My eyes close and I sigh in contented bliss.  Behind me I can hear Hana giggling at my fast paced conversation changes.

 

“You do know he can feel that, right darlin?” McCree asks.  My eyes flying open to look up at the visor of the man in front of me.

 

“Really?” I ask, surprised exuberance seeping into my tone.  To which in receive a nod in return.  I pull the hand away from my cheek, but still close to my face as I start to examine it.  “See? This is what I was talking about.  How does that even work?  Is it just pressure sensors, or are the nerve endings actually integrated into the metal?” I ramble on, more to myself than anyone else.

 

“I believe the nerves are actually attached.” Genji answers while I continue my examination of his hand.  “I can feel the temperature difference between your flesh hand, and your prosthetic one, as well as the difference in textures.”

 

“Fascinating.” I murmur, flipping his hand over in my own, inspecting the back.  “Well, at least I no longer want ta dismantle you.” The statement sends Hana and Lucio both into a fit of giggles.  “So,” I continue, ignoring the chuckles coming from behind me. “How much of you is still, ya know, original material?  If that’s not too rude of me to ask.”

 

“Hmm…”  Genji hums in thought, pulling his left arm diagonally across his chest.  “Most of me from here up,” he gestures upward, mostly his left side and his head. “Is still, 'original’ Genji Shimada material, as you put it, as well as a few other parts of me.” I hum and nod in understanding, leaning forward a bit more.

 

“I have to ask then, do you  _ always  _ wear the helm and visor? Do you need them to see and hear or...” I trailed off, my eyebrow raised expectantly, waiting for an answer.

 

“No.” Was the answer I received, accompanied by a shake of his head. “They are simply for protection, and aesthetics.”

 

“May I see?” I ask, my excitement almost palpable as I start to practically vibrate in my seat.  Realizing that I am being a bit pushy and a touch too forward, I scrunch my shoulders, retreating with a blush. “Sorry, I just...have a thing about eye contact.” I look down at my hands, which are now neatly folded in my lap, fingers twisting around each other.  My bashfulness earns me a chuckle from the man in front of me, causing me to feel more than a bit self conscious.

 

“Nothing to beat yourself up over, I understand. I wear it so frequently that I often forget it is even there.” There's a mirthful tone to his voice that has my interest piqued, and despite my reservations, I look up.  My eyes are immediately drawn to the dark chocolate brown orbs watching my face and I can't help but blush at the intense scrutiny.  My gaze is soon drawn elsewhere and before long, I realize I've been staring at his face for quite a while without saying anything.  

 

“Wow…” I mutter, eyes studying the scars scattered about his face.  “Genji, you're gorgeous!”  My smile returns tenfold and now it's his turn to blush.

 

“Thank you for saying so. That is not a response I often hear.” He smiles in return and bows his head slightly in thanks.  And so our night continues…


	8. Huh?

The next morning brought with it a deep need for coffee, and a deep body ache after my training session with 76.  The hot shower I took afterwards was probably one of the top three, in my opinion, as far as most satisfying.  I, not surprisingly, didn’t see McCree, Lucio or Hana until sometime after noon, each looking a little worse for wear as they trudged into the kitchen.

 

“Morning!”  I chirped, warm smile in place.  Receiving mumbled greetings in return, I return to reading the morning news on the holopad in front of me while nibbling on my toast.  

 

“How are you two so…. Okay this morning?”  Hana asks, her voice thick with sleep and tinged with annoyance and pain, probably due to a wicked hangover.  Her question has me looking up from my reading, with my eyebrows raised in confusion and mouth full of buttered toast.

 

“Hmm?”  I ask, assuming the noise relays my confusion adequately enough as I continue to chew my morning, post workout carbs.

 

“You two.”  Hana gestures in my general direction.  “How are you not hungover and miserable?”  I’m still confused about the ‘two’ aspect of her question, but a mug full of some wonderful smelling warm liquid is set in front of me.  I look up from the mug, glancing over my shoulder to find Genji standing over me, sans facial armor and helm.

 

“I would assume that since you and Lucio are unaccustomed to drinking, you simply over indulged.  Jesse, well, Jesse is simply getting old and refuses to stop acting like he did in his youth.”  He smiles at Hana, an almost smug look on his face.  “How she has managed to be awake since six and so alert, I’m unsure.”  He glances at me and I notice a light pink tinge to the apples of his cheeks.  

 

“Oh, fuck you Shimada.”  McCree snaps while pouring himself a cup of coffee, shaking me from my thoughts.  I quickly avert my gaze, instead staring intently at my, what I can only assume is, cup of tea.  Next to me, Genji lets out a hearty laugh, taking the seat next to me at the islander and taking a drink from his own cup.

 

“Ah, but Jesse, I did not think I was the Shimada that you’ve had your eye on.”  The kitchen was silent for a heartbeat until what was said was finally processed.  Hana hid her smile behind her drink, Lucio covered his laugh with a cough and McCree was stunned enough to pour hot coffee on his hand and promptly started swearing.

 

“Oh, so I wasn’t imaginin’ that.”  I say, smiling as I get up from my seat to help McCree to the sink to run his burnt hand under cold water.  I receive a sidelong glare for my efforts, which only makes me chuckle.  “Don’t look at me that way, you’re kinda obvious, mate.” The man shook his head in defeat and let out a long sigh.

 

“Seems ta me like everyone knows, ‘cept maybe him.”  Jesse mumbles, a hum of sympathy makes its way around the kitchen.

 

“Oh, he knows.”  Genji supplies, sipping his tea and picking up my forgotten holopad.  “He’s just an obstinate man. Too much like our father.”  Next to me, Jesse groans and rests his forehead on his arm while keeping his burnt hand under the water.  I gently rub his back and tuck a strand of his hair behind his ear trying to ease his mind.  I settle on changing the subject away from the current topic….sorta.

 

“To ansa your question Hana, I’m fine because I drank a crap ton a watta and then exercised.”  I glance back at the other three behind me while still rubbing Jesse’s back.  “Although not my prefered method of dealing with a hangova, it’s bet’ta than nothin’.”  I shrug, turning back to the man in front of me.

 

“What is your prefered method?”  Hana asks, sounding curious and a bit more like her normal self.  A slightly wicked grin blossoms across my face and I turn giving her a sly look.

 

“I always found a nice, mind-blowing orgasm or three to be the best hangover cure.  Hell, just sex in general is great for it.”  I answer.  Across from me, Hana gasps, hands flying up to cover her mouth.  Genji chokes on his tea, but as expected, recovers quickly enough to pass it off as nothing.  Next to me, Jesse groans again, his ears turning red.  It seems I am left the only one in the kitchen without a blush dusting my cheeks, and I laugh out right.  “Seriously!”  My hands abandon their tasks with Jesse so I can turn and face everyone.  “Sex releases endorphins, which make you feel good.  Hell of a fun way to beat a headache if ya ask me.  Also, for some strange reason, ejaculate is a natural antidepressant when absorbed in the body.”

 

“Thanks for remindin’ me that it’s been awhile darlin.”  Jesse rumbles next to me, which causes Genji to scoff as well as Hana and Lucio to blush deeper.

 

“Oh, how long, ya big baby?”  I ask, picking up a clean dish towel off the counter and drying my hands.

 

“Eight months?  Give or take.”  He sheepishly peeks at me from under his mop of hair.  

 

“A week for us.”  Hana pipes up quietly, her face turning a pretty shade of red from the tips of her ears down her neck.  Next to her Lucio leans forward and kisses her bare shoulder, rubbing her back gently.  Everyone seems to turn their attention to me and I shrug.

 

“Two and a half years.”  My answer has Hana sucking in a breath through her teeth and Jesse whistling low.

 

“That’s a rough break sweetheart.”  Jesse drawls, standing up finally, having something to focus on instead of wallowing in self pity.  Across the kitchen, Genji scoffs.  “What about you, smartass?”  Jesse asks, jutting his chin in the cyborg’s direction.

 

“It has been long enough that I can not remember details.”  Genji continues to calmly sit and sip his tea.  “Then again, I did have to have my body rebuilt since then.”  McCree lets out another low whistle next to me.  “If you’ll excuse me.”  Genji gently sets his cup back on the counter and quickly exits the kitchen.  The four of us that remain are silent, my thoughts flying through my mind faster than I thought possible until one cohesive one sticks out.   _ Genji was either embarrassed or insulted. _  With my brows drawn down into a scowl, I smack Jesse with the dish towel before dashing out of the kitchen after Genji.

 

“Genji!”  I hollar after the retreating form several yards in front of me.  “Genji!  Hold up a tick!”  He stops and turns to face me, a slightly surprised expression displayed across his face.  I jog the rest of the way, stopping next to him with my hand gently gripping his elbow.  He eyes my hand almost warily before I think better of it and quickly remove it.  Best not to make  _ another _ cultural faux pas.  

 

“Yes, miss Taylor.  Is there something you needed?”  He sounds much more formal than he had in the kitchen and I kick myself for most likely being the cause.  

 

“Look, I’m sorry if what I said made ya uncomfortable or embarrassed you.  It wasn’t my intention.”  I am proud of myself for managing to maintain eye contact through the entirety of my apology.  I manage to hold my back straight, shoulders back and chin up.  I was sincere in this, and trying to be open and caring, something I had not given half a mind to before leaving Junkertown two years ago.  I succeeded….for the first thirty seconds after I said my peace anyways, before I grew self conscious under the intense dark stare of the man in front of me.  Deep chocolate eyes watching my every move intently had me slouching, shoulders pulled forward as I wrapped my arms around myself and averted my gaze to a crack in one of the nearby floor tiles.  I stood there for what felt like an eternity, my mind going to the dark places it normally does when I find myself on the verge of an anxiety attack.  I could feel it settling in now, my hands starting to shake, my breathing picking up pace, and tears pricking my eyes making them burn.  

 

“Oi, son'na ko to shitara dame.*”  Genji almost whispers, taking a step closer to me as he grips my chin in between the index finger and thumb of his flesh hand.  “Namida o nagashite wa ikemasen, sono yōna utsukushi-sa.**”  He gently tips my chin up enough to look me in the eye, a soft smile on his face.  “I was not uncomfortable or embarrassed by what you had said.”  His eyes search my face, the pad of his thumb slowly brushing away a tear I hadn’t notice had fallen.  “I was simply reflecting on my past and felt shame in my youth for the first time in many years.  I simply decided it was past time for me to meditate.  Reflect on my thoughts.”  I close my eyes, taking a few deep breaths and leaning into the warm hand gently cupping my cheek.  As much as I don’t like to be around people, sometimes human contact is needed.  We stand like that for a long while, my nerves calming slowly, and Genji patiently waiting.  The spell is broken however by the sound of Jesse’s laughter from down the hall, shocking me like a bucket of ice water being poured over me.  I quickly retreat a few steps, breaking contact and letting my eyes drift back down to the floor.

 

“Sorry.  I didn’t mean to…”  I stammer, my voice sounding small in the empty hall.  I close my eyes, shrug my shoulders and sigh, defeated.  “Sorry.” 

 

“You should come and meditate with me.” Genji says, drawing my attention immediately back up to his smiling face.

 

“What” I almost shout, disbelief written across my features.  At least it earns me a chuckle and he reaches up to run his fingers through his unruly black hair.

 

“It might help you with some of your anxiety, help you relax.  Come on!” Like a kid in a candy store, his excitement is radiating off of him in waves as he grabs my prosthetic hand in his, pulling me down the hall.  I can only laugh and shake my head, letting him lead the way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Hey, don’t do that.  
> **Such a beauty should never shed tears
> 
> Roadie and ratboy coming up next chapter.


	9. No...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Un-beta'd as always. Sorry for any mistakes.

The following week was fun, if not a bit exhausting.  I would often train with 76 first thing in the morning, followed by my breakfast with Hana, Lucio, Jesse and Genji.  There were always smiles and jokes made at another’s expense, but never in a hurtful way.  After finishing breakfast and, of course, my morning tea, Genji would often drag me off to meditate.  Usually, being left in a quiet place to do nothing but sit and think would have my anxiety chomping at the bit, as Jesse would say.  However I found the companionable silence a nice change from the otherwise loud watchpoint.  From there was usually lunch, most of the other agents there with more smiles and teasing banter.  After lunch I would usually find myself in the workshop, building more drones or tinkering with something or other.  Dinner was a whole watchpoint affair, I was told that someone different cooks dinner every week.  This week, it was Reinhardt’s turn, and boy could that man cook.  Wurst and kraut, pastrami on rye, schnitzel…..SCHNITZEL!  I’ve never had anything even _remotely_ like it in my life, and I have to admit, I loved it.  After dinner, everyone was free to do what they pleased.  The first few days, I spent time in the rec room with several of the other agents.  

 

On the fourth day, however, I found myself on the rooftop in the small garden there.  Ana greeted me with a smile, and welcomed me into her small sanctuary away from everything.  I was invited to add to the garden, if I so chose, and the next day, with help from several others, we had a small vegetable garden set up.  It’s where I decided to drag my four breakfast companions after lunch today.  Hana and Lucio are sprawled out across a blanket in the grass, wearing their bathing suits and basking in the sun.  I'm fairly certain that Jesse is taking a nap, leaning against a tree with his hat covering his face.  Genji sits quietly next to me reading while I sit with my prosthetic arm in my lap, screwdriver between my teeth, trying to fix the loose screw I found.  It's a beautiful sunny day, warm but with a slight breeze that carries with it the smell of the ocean.  I make the final few adjustments and manage to reattach my arm before anyone decides to really say anything.

 

“Hey Isla?” Hana says, breaking the silence.  I hum in acknowledgement, screwdriver back between my teeth and eyes trained on my hand.  I flex my fingers to ensure they're working properly and that nothing feels out of place.  “What would you do if ever ran into your ex again?” She asks, propping herself up on her elbows so she can look at me.  “I mean, I can tell that a lot of your emotions are tied to him and what he did.  I was just wondering if you've given any thought to what you'd do if you run into him again.” She shrugs but continues to watch me from behind her sunglasses, expecting an answer.

 

“Vell…” I start, reaching up with my now repaired hand and retrieving the tool from between my lips.  “Knee jerk reaction would probably be to punch the drongo right in his big fuckin’ nose.” Hana and Lucio both chuckle.  “After that, in all honesty, I'd probably end up in tears.  Like you said, a lot of my emotions are kinda tied to the slagger.”  I shrug, stowing the screwdriver back away into the tool kit next to me.  Before any other questions can be asked, Winston’s voice cuts in overhead on the PA system.

 

“All agents please report to the conference room for debriefing.”  I stand, seeing my escape, and brush the grass off my backside.  I pause for a moment, trying to decide on whether or not to bring my tool bag and ultimately decide that they’ll be safe enough where they are.  

 

“We’ll meet you guys downstairs.”  Lucio hollars, him and Hana waving farewell to us as they walk towards the stairs.

 

“I too have something to attend to before this meeting.”  Genji says, eyebrows drawn together and an apologetic look on his face.  “Will you be alright getting Jesse?”

 

“I’ll be fine.”  I wave off his concern and smile.  “Go.”  I hear his ‘hai’ of agreement behind me as I make my way towards McCree.  I crouch down next to him, admiring the serenity of sleep on the man’s face.  I remove his hat, placing it on my own head before gently running my fingers through his hair, pushing it back and behind an ear away from his face.  “Jesse.”  I gently shake his shoulder, getting no response, I shake a bit harder.  “Jesse.”  I say a bit louder.  I sigh and rest my head in my hand and my elbow on my raised knee, staring at him as I try to think of a way to wake him.  

 

“You gonna keep starin?”  The deep, rumbly draw startles me enough that I lose my balance and fall backwards onto my butt.  I throw a scowl his direction, but the blush burning my face makes it look more like a pout which has him chuckling softly.  I sigh, pulling myself to my feet and brushing the dirt and grass from my butt a second time.

 

“Come on, old man.”  I jab, offering my hand to help Jesse to his feet.  “Winston wants all active agents to the conference room for a debriefing.”  He nods, taking my hand and pulling himself to his feet with little assistance from me before plucking his hat off my head.

 

“Old man, huh?”  He asks, when we’re halfway to the conference room.  I can’t help but to laugh at the pout on his face.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

We reached the conference room quickly, with me thrown over the shoulder of a slightly miffed cowboy.  Apparently McCree really disliked being reminded of his age and his longer legs make it impossible for me to outrun him.  It would also seem that he is reluctant to let me down, despite my protests and how much I pound on his back.  Resigning myself to my fate of having my ass prominently on display with a sigh, I settle for half-hearted attempts with a few wiggles of my hips.  

 

“Surprisingly spry, for an old cowboy.”  I throw over my shoulder.  If he’s not going to put me down, then I’m going to continue with my teasing.  My comment is met with a soft, but firm, smack to the backs of my thighs, dangerously close to my upturned backside.  The action catches me by surprise and I let out a yelp, quickly covering my mouth and scowling at the back of the man holding me.

 

“Ya need to learn to respect yer elders, darlin.”  Jesse replies, a smile in his voice as he readjusts my weight on his shoulder.  I was surprisingly close to landing an open palmed smack to the offending man’s bottom when the hiss of the door opening pulled my attention away from my retaliation.  Several people walked through the doors, none of which I knew, and more voices could be heard echoing down the halls.  The first to walk thru the door was a tall woman with a stern face.  Her tanned skin, dark hair and eyes, and the delicate tattoo curled on her cheek led me to believe she was the daughter that Ana had told me about.  Next, an SST Laboratories Siege Automation unit, which, to be honest, surprised me enough that I couldn’t help the uncomfortable little whine that escaped my throat.  

 

“Jesse….”  I mumbled, clutching to the ever-present sarape on his back.  My body giving an involuntary shudder.

 

“It’s just Bastion, sweetheart, he’s on our side, don’t worry.”  Jesse whispered, in the quiet room.  The voices in the hall growing louder as their owners getting closer to the conference room.  A nagging feeling growing in the back of my mind that I should recognize them, a feeling that I was actively ignoring.  

 

The next two figures to walk into the room were a small woman of obvious asian descent who was more appropriately dressed for the siberian tundra than sunny Gibraltar. Accompanying her were a small drone, much like my own, but much more animated and an omnic.  The tattered robes and floating orbs captured my attention for a moment and I watched as Genji greeted him with a bow as he regarded him as master.  Through the open door, a peel of almost maniacal laughter bounced off the walls, reverberating in the conference room.  My body tensed, instantly recognizing the sound.  Desperately, my hands grabbed fistfulls of shirt, sarape, armor, anything I could reach to try and haul myself up and over Jesse’s shoulder.

 

“Jesse….let me down….”  I whisper, afraid to speak any louder.  The telltale tingling of tears in my nose and behind my eyes, accompanying the rising panic setting into every inch of my being.  “Jesse...please...let me down."  I take a deep gulp of air that somehow doesn’t seem to reach my lungs.  I can feel my hands trembling and I know my whole body is practically vibrating.

 

“Alright, hold on.”  Jesse replies, concern evident in his tone.  Shifting my weight forward and setting my feet on the ground, he rests his hands on my shoulders and my eyes close.  The sounds of a rattling chain, and the rhythmic _thunk-clink_ doing nothing to help me calm down, but it’s all I can hear.  All too soon, the figures behind the sounds enter the room not five feet from me, and the room suddenly becomes too small.

 

Time seems to slow to a stop, my eyes popping open in a moment of desperation and I glance at Jesse before I’m spurred into motion.  Before anyone else even notices me move, I manage to push past a very confused McCree, removing Peacekeeper from it’s holster on my way past.  I take the few quick steps towards the two newest people to enter the room, grabbing the prosthetic arm of the smaller one.  I manage to press the release clip on the outer rim of the arm, effectively spinning him around to face my back while also bringing my elbow up.  The blow to his face sounds with a crack and he falls backwards onto the floor in front of me as his arm slides across the room in the opposite direction.  In the time it takes him to register the pain, I managed to pin his arms to his sides with my knees and his legs to the floor, curling my feet under the juncture of his thigh, his manhood pressed between the heels of my shoes.  He opens his mouth to yell and I shift my weight fully onto his stomach, lean forward so my face is hovering above his, and press the barrel of Peacekeeper into the soft flesh under his chin.  Angry amber eyes fly open to meet my own scowl, only to dissolve into something closer to confusion and disbelief.  The room is silent, save for the labored breaths of myself and the man under me.  Seconds drag on, everyone afraid to move in fear that doing so would cause a violent end to my outburst.  

 

“Isla?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will delve into more next chapter, but based on the tags, I'm sure you can figure out how they know each other. Also, tags will change accordingly in future chapters because I'm a sucker for angsty angst.


	10. Why?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You beautiful people get another update because I'm feeling loved! (Actually, I already had most of this chapter written already and I tend to post these as I finish them. >.<) Un-beta'd as always and a bit short, but I'll make it up to you lovelies in the next couple of chapters, I promise.

“Isla?”  He breathes, voice barely above a whisper and tinged with astonishment.  Even the sound of his voice simply saying my name has me closing my eyes and failing to fight the trembling of my lower lip as well as the fall of tears.  “Is it really….It can’t….?”  I scowl, eyes opening to see his searching my face for any sign that what he’s seeing isn’t real.

 

“Jamison.”  I manage to bite between clenched teeth.  He tries to lift his flesh arm unsuccessfully.  My own flesh hand shaking with my emotions and causing Peacekeeper to rattle slightly.

 

“No...no, no, no, NO!  You're dead!” Jamison says with more conviction than he truly believes.  He shakes his head, eyes wide and teeth bared in anger and denial.  “S’not fair. S’NOT FAIR!!”  Jamie screams in my face, shaking his head back and forth more violently.  “It’s just some sick fuckin’ joke.”  

 

“Not fair?”  My face scrunches in anger as big, fat tears stream freely from my eyes, landing in big splats clearly visible against Jamie’s soot covered skin.  “You listen to me Jamison Edward Fawkes.”  His head whipping around to stare at me wide eyed once again.  “You wanna talk about sick fuckin’ jokes?”  My voice cracks a bit with my emotions.  “How about we talk about the one where you  **_left me_ ** ,  **_bleeding_ ** ,  in the middle of the  _ fucking  _ **_desert._ **  Or how about we talk about how you couldn’t wait  **_TWO BLEEDIN’ WEEKS_ ** for me to make it back to Junkertown?  Our home?”  I ball my prosthetic hand into a fist and weakly bring it down on his shoulder.  “I made it home a day and a half after you two left….”   I confess quietly, resting my forehead against the middle of his chest, hiccuping in upset.  “You didn’t even look for me, Jamie!”  My shoulders shake and I let the gun slide from my fingers to clatter softly on the ground next to Jamie’s head.  “Why didn’t you look for me?”   I draw in a deep, ragged breath bringing my fist back down against his shoulder with more force this time.  A whimper escapes me, and the room is instantly too small again.  The deep shuddering breath of the man under me reminds me of his presence and I’m too close to him, my body starved for the contact, but my mind screaming to get away.  I decide to listen to my brain for once and push myself off his chest and back into a standing position.  Lips still trembling and brows drawn together, I shake my head and turn to leave.  

 

“Wait!”  Jamie hollars after me, his prosthetic leg bent at the knee and pushing himself up on his elbow.  Even after everything he’s put me through, the pained look he gives me now breaks my already shattered heart.  I force myself to take a deep breath.

 

“Do us both a favor and stay the hell away from me, Junkrat.”  I quickly avert my eyes, unable to bring myself to see the pained look on his face at my statement.  And like a coward, I turned and ran.

 

~*~*~* Still in the conference room *~*~*~

 

Junkrat pushed himself into a sitting position, eyes trained on his lap. After their newest member left following her outburst, no one dared to move for several minutes.  Even then, it was Roadhog that did so, lumbering across the room to grab Junkrat by the hair and force him to look at the bigger man.

 

“Idiot.  Told ya we shoulda looked for ‘er.”  Roadhog’s deep, gravelly voice ground out between wheezing breaths.  “S’all _your_ fault. Girl’a ya dreams, can’t live without’a.”  He released the smaller man, who was surprisingly quiet through the whole ordeal, with a scoff.  “You’d bet’ta fix it **_Rat_** , don’t forget, I like ‘er bet’ta.”  Having said his piece, the behemoth of  man ambled back through the door and down the hallway followed only by the the jangling of the chains on his hip.

 

“She called me Junkrat…”  Jamison sat on the floor, mumbling to himself.  Lena walking over and squatting down next to him, reaching out to rub soothing circles on his back.  He looked up at her, eyes wide and glistening with unshed tears.  “She’s nevah done that.  Always said it was more of an insult than a nickname.”  He hugged his amputated limb close to his body, wrapping his intact arm around himself.  “She’s always called me by me name.  Lena?”   He brought his pleading eyes up to meet hers.  “What’ve I done?”  Twin trails streaked wide paths down his cheeks, clearing away all the ash and gunpowder.  Everyone at a loss for words, simply shuffled in place, the pain and heartbreak surrounding the man a palpable being.  Jesse was the first to really move, walking across the room to retrieve the man’s prosthesis and return it.  

 

“Get’im cleaned up and put back t’gether.”  Jesse instructed Lena, handing the small woman Jamison’s arm and swiping Peacekeeper off the floor where it was left.  Holstering the weapon, he quickly turned towards the door, taking a few long strides towards it before being stopped.

 

“Where you going, Jesse?”  Lena’s voice sounded small and unsure, unusual for the normally plucky woman.

 

“Well, I wouldn’t be a gentleman if I left a distressed young woman alone to cry.”  Without any further explanation, Jesse bolted out the door as fast as his long legs could carry him.

 

~*~*~* Isla’s POV *~*~*~

 

I lost track of how long I had been sitting on the quiet, tucked away corner on the cliff overlooking the sea.  I sat there long enough that my tears had run their course and I was left staring blankly at the waves.  I know McCree is looking for me, I’ve heard him more than once.  Just the same way that I know I shouldn’t stay out in the cold now that the sun has gone down.  Everything just feels so numb, and I feel so completely empty.  I can’t seem to find the strength to care.  It was a while after Jesse’s last patrol looking for me, that I heard the quiet rustle of fabric behind me.  Before I even had the chance to glance over my shoulder had I wanted (I didn’t.), I felt a heavy wool blanket being draped over my head and neatly tucked around my shoulders.  I shivered at the warmth, not noticing before how truly cold I had been.  I sat, continuing to watch the waves as my deliverer of warmth took a seat.  I closed my eyes, discerning the weight of two arms encircling my shoulders, one soft and flesh, one metal and unforgiving.  They give me a gentle squeeze before pulling me to lean back against a broad, toned chest.  The tears I had thought gone springing into action once again, and I can’t help but to break down into great wailing sobs.  The man behind me pulling me further into his lap and rocking me like a child.  Simply offering comfort, but not trying to stop the tears that hold so many emotions within them.  I never thought I’d be so grateful to have someone just let me cry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OoOoOoh! Who is it?


	11. Dammit all

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Un-beta'd as always. More notes at the end.

I only vaguely remember others coming and going as I sat, curled against a solid chest in a warm, comfortable lap.  Wrapped up so securely in the warm blanket and strong arms, I was able to let the numbness in my mind take over my body as well.  Jesse came by, I only remember because after sharing a few brief words, he took a seat nearby.  Jesse, and Hanzo.  Hanzo, surprisingly, handed me his bottle of sake(which I drank all of.  Very quickly.) while lecturing my companion about making sure I’m comfortable and taken care of.  I must have eventually fallen asleep because I’m now mostly awake,(thanks Athena, really could have done without those bright lights at five A.M.) and trying to bury my face in what feels like a rock.

 

“Athena, lights off please.”  The rock says, voice tinged with an electronic edge to it.  I groan in response for many reasons.  I should feel embarrassed for my outburst yesterday.  Both of them, actually.  And for whatever I did or said that made Genji decide he needed to stay with me all night.  And for greedily drinking all of Hanzo’s sake without so much as a thank you.  But most of all, for making my new(Friends?  Companions?  Comrades?) worry about me by running off.  

 

“Mm sorry.”  I mumble, settling on starting my round of apologies with the cyborg whose shoulder my face is currently buried in.  My unruly, wavy/curly hair is in my face and I’m torn between leaving it there and pushing it out of the way.  Genji curls his flesh arm around my body, rubbing gentle circles on my back.  I sigh, deciding to be a somewhat civil human being and make eye contact.  After yesterday, I at least owe him that much.

 

“Sorry for what?”  He asks in a low whisper, as I tuck what I can of my hair behind my left ear.  I raise my eyes to where his face should be and I’m struck speechless by a pair of faintly glowing, red irises.  My mouth moves while I try to think of things to say, but no audio accompanies it.  The spell is broken by Genji’s gentle chuckle, obviously having no issues seeing in the dark.  I feel my cheeks heat up a bit as I push myself up to rest my weight on the elbow under my body, and I clear my throat trying to regain my composure.

 

“For my outburst yesterday.  Think I scared everyone a tad.”  I shrug, finding the glowing green circles visible through the hoodie he’s been wearing since yesterday absolutely captivating.  “I shouldn’t have….”  I sigh.  “I shouldda expected ‘im to turn up here.  I mean, it’snot like anything else in my life has gone right when Jamison Fawkes has been involved.  Why would it start now?”  I sigh, rolling over to lay on my back and throwing my flesh arm over my eyes.  Even the darkness of my room is too bright right now.

 

“What do you mean?”  He asks, I can feel the bed next to me dip as he rolls over to face me, propping his head up on his fist.  I frown, not really wanting to get into  _ ALL _ the details of my life with someone I only met a week ago.  Even if they are the closest friend I’ve had in a long time.  “Please.  I know, better than anyone else here at the watchpoint, what it’s like to be betrayed by someone you love.  I just want to understand so I can help you to find it in yourself to forgive him.”  I scoff and raise my arm a slight bit to peek at him with one eye.  I can see him smirk and raise one, rather crazy, eyebrow at me in the green glow he emanates.  “It’ll make you feel better.”  He states to which my response is a rather violent sigh.  He chuckles and reaches over to poke me in the ribs.  I curve my body around and try to pull away.  

 

“Don’t tickle me.”  I say, casting a scowl in his direction that ends up being more of a pout.  “And I mean that whenever something in my life goes wrong, Jamie has been the cause of it, directly or indirectly.”  I take a deep breath in preparation for my impending rant.  “Get seperated from my family and stuck in the outback?  Jamie.  Get totally shitfaced and end up rootin’ in some old fucks cabin and get caught by my olda sista?  Jamie.  Get ma fuckin’  **_arm blown off?!_ ** ”  I raise my left arm, gesturing to the prosthesis found there.  “Jamison.  Oh, and let’s not forget getting kidnapped, tortured, heartbroken, and forced to be on the run for two years without a damn thing to my name.”  I count them down on my fingers.  “Hmmm….oh yeah, Jamison, Jamison, Jamison and let’s not leave out Jamison.”  I raise my hands and scrub my face trying to convince myself not to break down in tears.  “I just...I’m tired, Genji.”  I let my hands fall back down to my sides, exhaustion over taking me.  

 

“I can’t imagine why, you’ve been sleeping for almost twelve hours now.”  Genji deadpanned, holding up his hands in defense when I shot him an unamused glare.  “I’m kidding!  Kidding.”  When I continue to pout and avoid eye contact, he sighs heavily.  “I get it.  You don’t want to be around him right now and since we all live here you feel a bit stuck.  It’s frustrating.”  He starts gently running his fingers through my hair.  “Not to mention you feel embarrassed because of how you reacted to seeing him again.”  I close my eyes, enjoying the contact and the synthesized edge to his voice.   “But you can’t hide in your room forever, you know that.”  Genji’s fingers map a path down the middle of my forehead and the bridge of my nose to the tip, tapping it gently a few times.  

 

“Genji….I don’t know if I can handle staying here knowing Jamie's here too.”  My eyes search his face, my brows drawn together in distress.  He smiles at me in response, trying to ease my fears.

 

“I’m here.  McCree is here.  Hana and Lucio are here.  Even my brother is here.  We are all willing to help make it easier for you.”  He says, pushing my hair back.  “We are your friends.  And you can come to me day or night.  Whenever things get to be too much.”  I give him a weak smile of my own in return, honestly grateful for the support.  “But first, I think breakfast is a priority.  Join me?”  His smile is hopeful, and I can’t bring myself to deny him, giving him a nod.  With an alarming amount of speed and grace, Genji rolls off the side of the bed, standing and making his way around to my side of the bed, where he stands with a hand outstretched.  “Come on.”  I tentatively return the smile, reaching for his hand, which he eagerly takes, effortlessly pulling me to my feet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry that this is soo late and short. It's been a long few weeks. Two deaths in the family to deal with, two sick kids and a lot of emotional and physical exhaustion. I really am super sorry guys, and I'm going to try to get back into posting at least once a week.


	12. What now?

“O.M.G!  Isla! Are you alright? You freaked out and then ran off! We were so worried about you.” Hana exclaims as soon as I walk into the mess hall.  I have no time to react before I’m firmly wrapped in a short korean woman who’s hugging me for all she’s worth.

 

“Woah there, calm down babe.”  Lucio says, jogging up behind Hana and throwing me a sympathetic look.  “She’s still here, she’s alright, don’t squeeze the life out of her and change that.”  I give him an almost sad smile in return, feeling more guilty now than I was before knowing that my new friends were so concerned.  I settle for resting my cheek against the top of Hana’s head as I awkwardly reach up to pat her on the back.

 

“I’m sorry I had you so concerned.  I shouldn’t’ve run off like that, or at the very least I should’ve found you afterwards and explained myself.”  I say, on the brink of tears now. Most of the occupants of the room watching the spectacle that is Hana and myself isn’t helping my anxieties either.  I try to take a deep breath to calm down, even though I can feel my whole body tensing. I close my eyes, attempting to ignore all the eyes on me at the moment.  In, out, in, out, focus on just breathing.

 

“It’s ok, I think I understand.”  She responds, giving me a squeeze before letting go.  She shoots me a watery smile before taking a few steps back and looking up at something over my right shoulder.  Before I had time to do much more than give her a confused head tilt, I'm scooped off the floor by a large hand and cradled against a warm, broad chest.  I release a rather undignified squeal before turning to look at my captor. The black reflective lenses of Roadhog’s mask pin me with a no nonsense look and I relax, resigned to being carried like a child by one of my oldest friends.

 

“Alright, you wanna talk?  Let’s go talk.” I sigh, patting the chest I’m cradled against.  With a grunt of affirmation, my escort turns and carries me towards the doors and down the hall towards one of the more secluded balcony areas.  

  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  


“What happened?”  I ask, staring out over the ocean.  I can’t bring myself to look at my longtime friend, still harboring some mistrust and pain, no matter how little he actually had to do with it.  His ever-present wheeze is the only indication I have of where he is behind me, and before too long, I stumble under the weight of one of his massive hands as he places it on my shoulder.

 

“He los’tit when you were taken.” Mako’s deep voice rumbes.  I look back over my shoulder at him, frown set in place. Anyone else would have wanted or needed more of an explanation from the man, I, however, do not and simply sigh defeatedly.  I take a moment to pat the man's hand on my shoulder before wrapping my arms around myself and settle on once again watching the ocean far below.

 

“Thank you, Mako, for watchin ova 'im.  I owe ya, mate.” I muttered quietly after several minutes of silence.  I hurriedly wipe the tears from my cheeks before taking a deep breath and turning to head back towards the mess hall, gently squeezing Mako’s forearm on my way past.

  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  


Lunch had been a fairly quiet ordeal, most excusing my lack of banter and cheeriness on the events of the previous day.  And they’d be right, mostly. While the shock and pain of seeing Jamison again were like pouring salt into open wounds, what Mako told me had worn on my already compromised mental state as well.  So after some much needed meditation with Zenyatta, Genji and surprisingly, Hanzo, I settled on working on my drones in the engineering lab.

 

“Hey Torbjörn, do you have a…?”  I trail off, walking into the main lab.  I had expected to see the old engineer, but not the tall brunette with her arms thrown around his shoulders with a huge grin on her face.  Stopping in my tracks, I point back towards the door I just came through with a confused frown. “Am I interrupting? Would you like me to leave?”  

 

“Ah! Isla lass!  No, no. This is my daughter.”  Torbjörn says, his own warm grin spreading across his face as he gestures to the girl.  

 

“Brigitte Lindholm.”  She says, bouncing towards me with her hand outstretched in greeting.  I find myself smiling in return, and returning the gesture.

 

“Brigitte, Ms. Taylor here is a rather brilliant engineer herself.”  The older man brags to his daughter, causing a blush to bloom across my face.

 

“I don’t know about that.”  I mutter, looking away as my shoulders scrunch.  “I had a decent teacher and the rest I had to kinda learn on the fly.”

 

“Nonsense!  First and foremost, you got Jesse McCree to let ye look at that blasted arm o’his.  That in itself is something to feel accomplished about!” Torbjörn boasts, chest puffed out like a proud father even if I wasn’t _his_ child.  I open my mouth to protest further, but I’m cut off as Athena’s voice fills the room.

 

“All agents please report to the conference room for an urgent meeting.”  The three of us glance at each other. “I repeat, all agents are to report to the conference room for an urgent meeting immediately.”  Brigitte and I shrug at each other, both turning to look at a pensive looking Torbjörn who simply points at the door and ushers us towards it.  I wonder what this could be about.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the delay on updates. So far, 2018 can go f*ck itself. The hits keep coming man, just keep on comin. Also, the tags for this story will change as time goes on, and the ending (when I get there..) probably won't be what y'all are expecting but it kinda just took off and characters have a mind of their own sometimes. Thanks for understanding.


	13. Who?

Torbjörn, Brigitte and myself slip into the conference room relatively unnoticed, filing in after a few of the others.  Spotting Genji and McCree leaning against the back wall, I quickly make a beeline towards them, settling in between the two and pointedly ignoring the other side of the room.  I’ve had more than enough run-ins with Jamie and Mako to last me at least another six months.

 

“Any idea what this is about?”  I lean in to ask Genji, whispering the same question that seems to be on everyone’s minds.  He shakes his head with a smirk and a shrug of his shoulders, the action causing the synthetic skin of his arm to rub against mine, goosebumps erupting across my own skin at the feeling.  My hand immediately flies to my upper arm, trying to soothe the disrupted flesh, his eyes following my movements with a slight frown. I flash him a quick smile, waving off the concern in his gaze.  “It’s fine, I’ll explain later.” I mouth the words, hoping that he isn’t offended as I rest my hand on his upper arm.

 

“I’d like to thank everyone for their haste.”  Winston starts, cutting off any and all banter in the room.  “Now, I, uh, I have some news.” Winston stammers, fidgeting with some paperwork in front of him while pointedly not making eye contact with any of the agents in the room.  “Some news that, uh, several of you won’t, uh, won’t like.” He clears his throat, straightens his papers and with a curt nod, addresses the room with a stern look. “Keep in mind that 76 and I have done extensive interrogations, and we value everyone’s safety above all.”  I look up at Genji’s face with a frown of confusion and concern only to see him giving much the same look to Jesse over my head who continues to look bored as he chews on his cigar. “With that said, I turn the floor over to 76 himself.” Winston gestures to the white haired man leaning against the wall behind him.

 

“Agents.”  76 says, his gravelly tone sounding more serious than usual and drawing my attention.  “We have two new agents joining us at the watchpoint.” He reaches for a holopad, pulling up an image of rather lanky man with tawny brown hair and slate grey eyes.  “The first is Doctor Dimitri Vasilek, Bioengineer, neuroscientist and personal physician to our new agent. I doubt he will see much field work, if any at all. He’s not new to Overwatch, just joining us here at the watchpoint.”  76 quickly flicks his wrist, dragging his finger across the screen of the holopad and the floating image in front of us all changes to that of a woman with sleek black hair. Half her face is covered by some sort of plating and the eye on that side is a vivid green, much like the lights on Genji’s body.  Several of the agents around the room suddenly explode into a cacophony of protests and angry shouting. It takes the man at the front of the room several minutes to reach his limit before he slams his fists into the table, silencing everyone with a bellow. “Enough!”

 

“76, honestly, what are you thinking?”  It’s Ana that speaks up, arms crossed as she stares down the man in the visor.  She gestures to the image before continuing, everyone else content to let her ask the questions they all seem to have.  “ **_Anika_ ** ?”  She almost spits the name like it’s poison on her tongue.

 

“I was thinking,  _ Captain Amari, _ that she is here of her own free will, giving up Talon secrets willingly, and seeing as how Reaper tried to have her blown up, that their loss is our gain.”  76 spits back, hands resting on the table as he leans heavily on it and I swear I can hear the scowl in his voice. “Most of you can attest to her fighting and espionage skills, and once she is eventually cleared for missions, I believe she will be an unstoppable force with the right team.”  Finally, he straightens his back, standing straight and tall and all business once again as if the exchange between him and Ana had never taken place. “As Winston stated earlier, the safety of all our agents is our top priority and we have done extensive interrogations on both of them.” He touches the holopad once again and the floating image dissipates, leaving the room quiet and dimmer than before.  “You are all dismissed.” Murmurs erupt throughout the room as everyone stands and start to file out. 

 

“McCree, Shimada, Taylor.  Not you three.” 76 barks and I draw up my shoulders, trying my hardest to hide behind the two men on either side of me.  I focus my attention on my shoes, refusing to look up as the not-so-hushed hysterical giggle of Jamison and the ever present wheeze of Mako draw closer.  I hear Jesse’s spurs jingle as he pivots, facing me and inconspicuously shielding me from the two men as they head past us towards the door. I can feel Jamie’s gaze on me and I shudder from head to toe, on the verge of tears once again.  I feel the cool metal of Jesse’s prosthesis against my flesh as he wraps his hand reassuringly around my upper arm. Next to me, Genji takes my own prosthetic hand in his. I watch as his fingers entwine with my own and he gives my hand a squeeze that I can not feel, but am grateful for nonetheless.   I find myself squeezing his hand in return, tangling my flesh hand in Jesse’s ever present serape, unabashedly using the two willing men as a shield. I hear the hiss of the door closing behind the last person to leave the room and I release a shaky breath, letting my forehead fall to Jesse’s chest with my fingers still entwined with Genji’s.

 

“Agent Taylor, is this going to continue to be an issue?”  76 asks, his voice bored and colored with a warning that has me standing straighter and releasing my two saviors.

 

“No, sir.”  I answer, throat thick with unshed tears as I breathe deeply through my nose to try and calm my rising anxiety.  

 

“Good.”  He gives a nod before looking between the three of us.  “Now, I told Karanovic to make her way here, but seeing as how she still hasn’t arrived, I’m assigning you three to find her.  Find her, show her around the watchpoint and then to the dorms. Her room is the one across the hall from yours Taylor. Is that understood?”  He asks, not really a question, instead seeking affirmation that his point has gotten through to us. The three of us nod in agreement followed by a chorus of ‘Yes, sir’.  He gives us a quick nod, pleased with our combined answers before dismissing us with a wave of the hand and some comment about standing around. The three of us quickly exit the room, followed by 76.  We make a left, headed towards the kitchen and mess hall as the old soldier continues on a straight path to his office.

 

“Are we out of his line of sight?”  I ask, voice trembling just a tad as I continue to walk, although a bit slower, down the hall.

 

“Yeah darlin’, why?”  Jesse responds, stopping and turning back to face me.

 

“Good.”  I exhale in relief as I collapse to the floor, sitting with my legs bent and out to the sides and palms flat on the ground. 

 

“Isla!”  Both men shout, Genji reaching me first and kneeling in front of me.  I close my eyes and let my head fall forward, chin resting on my chest as I take a few shaky breaths.

 

“I’m fine, just a bit tired now that the anxiety has passed.”  I let out a soft chuckle, eyes closed as I focus on evening out my breathing before I try to stand.  I shudder and sigh, feeling the gentle brush of fingertips on my cheek. My lips part ever so slightly, as Genji’s fingers tuck an errant strand of hair behind my ear.  I lean into his palm as he cups my cheek, reveling in the smoothness of his skin on my own, unused to such things anymore. I savor the closeness and the contact for a moment longer, not realizing how much I had come to crave such tender moments.  

The moment quickly passes with McCree clearing his throat, causing Genji to pull his hand away as if I had burned him.  I open my eyes, turning my face away from both of them so they won’t see the deep crimson blush coursing its way across my face.  Genji was on his feet and some distance away before my eyes were even open and off to my left I could hear Jesse mumbling something about  _ “Damn kid, fallin’ hard.”   _ I shake my head, taking a few deep breaths to calm my pounding heart, though I can tell by his forced relaxed pose that Genji hadn’t heard McCree.

 

“Come on.”  I say with a sigh as I push myself to my feet.  “Let’s go find this lost agent.” I start walking towards the kitchen, both men quickly catching up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry the updates for this have slowed down dramatically. The hits continue to roll in, stupid 2018. I will continue to try and update this as I finish chapters, I promise that much, but as to the regularity of that? I have no idea.

**Author's Note:**

> please, Please, PLEASE....
> 
> If you like this, read, kudos, and leave a comment to let me know what you think.  
> I'm already several chapters into writing, so I will try to keep the chapter buffer up so I can post regularly.
> 
> Thanks!


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